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Israeli security forces have in recent days thwarted several attacks that to be carried out in the immediate future, Channel 12 News reported on Friday. There are still warnings about imminent further attacks and the security forces continue to try to thwart them.
In recent days, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) has reached 200 Israeli Arabs who are affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS). They were questioned, given a warning and 15 of them were also arrested. At the same time, the Shin Bet, the Israel Police and the IDF have set up a joint body whose goal is to thwart Palestinian Arab incitement on social media.
According to the Channel 12 News report, it is estimated that the reason for the outbreak of the current terrorist wave is coincidental, and that one "successful" attack in Be'er Sheva led to a chain of other attacks inspired by that one.
On Friday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz toured the Judea and Samaria region, together with the Commander of the IDF's Central Command, Maj. Gen. Eliav Elbaz.
"I am finishing a tour of the Judea and Samaria Division, which is being reinforced by thousands of soldiers to secure undeveloped areas and along the border. We will continue to make arrests and take initiative in defense and attack, and we will lay our hands on those who seek to harm the citizens of Israel, anywhere and anytime," said Gantz.
Later, IDF Chief of Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi, visited the area of the buffer zone near the Judea and Samaria security barrier where the terrorist who killed five Israeli civilians in the recent Bnei Brak terrorist attack crossed into Israeli territory.
Following the recent terrorist attacks throughout Israel, the Chief of the General Staff conducted a field review in the area of the crossing with battalion commanders of the Judea and Samaria Division.
"You, and the entire IDF, operate throughout the year with great success and prevent many attacks of the kind we have recently seen. Our mission is to stop these kind of attacks from happening, and even though we do so on a routine basis - We must concentrate our efforts which include Intelligence activity, reinforcing military units in the Judea and Samaria Division and along the buffer zone, and in strengthening and reinforcing the Israel Police. We will continue to act in every way possible to stop attacks - that is our mission,” he said.
“I would like to thank each and every one of you for the professional standard you hold yourself to, and the quick and precise actions you demonstrate in a variety of areas. It is your actions which prevent terrorist attacks. Thanks to each of you, everything you are doing, terrorist attacks were thwarted, preventing harm to hundreds of families,” added Kohavi.
"The IDF will be wherever needed, day and night, operating by any means necessary and for as long as it takes to provide the residents of the country the sense of security they deserve," concluded the Chief of Staff.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)